Todd Smedts, 31, of McConnell Street, pleaded guilty in Warrnambool Magistrates Court on Friday to trafficking methamphetamine and dealing with property believed to be proceeds of crime (cash).

He was jailed for the 333 days he already served in custody on remand.

The court heard he was arrested by the Victoria Police special operations group on June 27 last year for unrelated alleged offending.

The arrest occurred at a BP service station on the corner of Warrnambool's Laverock Road and Raglan Parade about 3pm.

Smedts, who was located in the rear passenger seat of a vehicle, was found in possession of 11.2 grams of methamphetamine and $2710 cash.

His mobile phone was seized and an analysis uncovered numerous text messages relating to the trafficking of methamphetamine.

The court heard Smedts had not long been released from jail for similar offending.

Lawyer Gorjan Nikolovski said Smedts' offending occurred in the context of unemployment and an ice addiction.

He said the 11 grams of ice found in his client's possession was a "semi-small amount to fund his own unfortunate habit".

Mr Nikolovski said Smedts had not sought treatment for his drug problem and also suffered mental health issues.

"It is a bad cocktail that leads to bad decision-making and ultimately in his case, criminal behaviour," he said.

But the lawyer said Smedts was "not a completely hopeless case",.

He said his client had strong family support and work available to him upon his eventual release from custody.

Magistrate Mark Stratmann said the courts and the community had an "incredibly grim view of people who traffick illicit drugs".

He said if not for the man's guilty plea, he would have sentenced Smedts to 15 months' jail.

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